


birds on a wire

by bittersweetResilience



Category: We Bare Bears (TV)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Slice of Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:27:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25608112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bittersweetResilience/pseuds/bittersweetResilience
Summary: Panda has a bad day. His brothers help.
Relationships: Grizz & Ice Bear & Panda (We Bare Bears)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 48





	birds on a wire

Grizz knows it’s a bad day when Panda doesn’t come out of the bathroom long after the sounds of water have stopped. He knocks on the door, calls, “Panda? You okay in there, bro?”

There’s no response. Ice Bear watches Grizz carefully as he shifts. “I’m coming in, okay?”

Grizz turns the handle hesitantly. Even though he already knows what he’ll find, his heart still sinks seeing Panda curled up in the bathtub, his knees to his chest, head bowed. He approaches softly, keeping his footsteps light as he kneels next to the tub. Panda sniffles, turns his face away.

His fur is soaked through. He’s shivering. Grizz does his best to project reassuring feelings into the air as he gets up and goes for the fluffiest towel he can find. Panda lets him wrap it around his shoulders, but resists when Grizz attempts to help him out of the bathtub, burying his snout into the towel. Before Grizz can say anything, he mumbles, “Don’t look at me.”

“Why shouldn’t I look at you?” Grizz says, half playful and half serious.

Though he can’t see Panda’s expression, he recognizes the bunching tension in his little brother’s shoulders, the small tremor. Finally, he whispers, “I’m embarrassing.”

“Hey, hey, now,” Grizz counters gently. “That’s not true. You’re the best bro we could ever ask for. You’re not embarrassing at all.”

Panda doesn’t respond. Grizz debates on whether or not to rest a paw on his arm, knowing how touch averse he gets when he’s like this, and settles on patting the towel awkwardly. The door to the bathroom, which he left slightly ajar, creaks open all the way as Ice Bear enters, carrying a tray laden with the Japanese snacks they keep especially for these situations in one paw and a heated blanket in the other.

“You want some snacks, lil’ bro?” Grizz asks, keeping his voice lighthearted and cheerful. Ice Bear sets the tray cautiously on the edge of the bathtub. After some hesitation, Panda lifts his face from the towel and takes a snack, avoiding both of their gazes. When he goes for another, his paw shakes and spills the meticulously stacked pile.

Both Grizz and Ice Bear wince in preparation. Panda recoils like he’s been hit and ducks his face down again. “Sorry,” he whimpers.

“It’s okay, Pan Pan,” Grizz says immediately. Quickly, Ice Bear re-stacks the snacks. “See? All better. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“You guys are so nice to me,” Panda says. His voice is wobbly and a bit muffled. “E-even when I’m being… being difficult…”

“Nope, nuh-uh, none of that, bro. You’re not being difficult. You’re just having a bit of a tough time and it’ll get better soon, okay?” Grizz says sternly.

“Ice Bear believes in you,” Ice Bear contributes.

On some days, the two of them simply let Panda be. Not alone, never: Ice Bear picks up a book, Grizz gets the laptop and watches cat videos without headphones, and the two of them camp out near wherever Panda has hidden himself and simply let time pass until Panda uncurls, tentative but grateful, and they go get ice cream together. But not today. Today is the kind of day where Panda needs a bit of a firmer hand.

“All right,” Grizz says. “Come on, up we go. You’re okay. You’re doing great.”

Reluctantly, Panda allows Grizz to help him out of the bathtub. Grizz whisks the towel away, and Ice Bear smoothly replaces it with the heated blanket. A bit of the tension leaks from Panda’s shoulders.

The two lead him out to the living room, getting him settled on the couch with the rest of his comfort foods and Miki-chan. Grizz calls Lucy to let her know they won’t be able to meet up for lunch while Ice Bear sits in stoic, companionable silence with Panda. They get Panda to eat something with a bit more substance, and Grizz eventually manages to coax some of the thoughts out of his head.

After a few hours, Panda seems a bit more comfortable in his own skin. Still without looking at them, but with a small, shy almost-smile, he murmurs, “Thanks, guys.”

“Anytime, lil’ bro,” Grizz says earnestly. He and Ice Bear meet eyes over Panda’s head, and they share a fond look. Yeah, Grizz knows it’s a bad day. But it’s getting better. It always gets better.

**Author's Note:**

> title from [two birds](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bb3_oDWiD_w) by regina spektor


End file.
